Yamaha Racing Team’s Robbie Bugden and Cru Halliday are looking forward to the third round of the 2014 Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship as it makes its way to Queensland Raceway this weekend, 28-29 June.

The much hyped Swann Series impressed everyone at the second round at Mallala in South Australia, and important points will be on the line in Queensland as the series reaches its’ halfway mark.

For Bugden, he has openly admitted that after a disappointing first round, things are back on track for YRT, and that they will be attacking the Queensland round head on.

“Obviously going to my home track now at Queensland Raceway, I won the round there last year and I will be looking to do the same this year,” he said.

“This year having made the move over to Yamaha and having a real battle at that first round, it put the championship probably at a little bit of a step too far away.

“But in saying that, we had a bad round, Glenn Allerton just had a bad round, if the Hondas have a bad round then we will be right back in it.

“For me personally I just want to go to these race meetings and do the best I can – and I think that a round win is not too far away.”

For teammate Halliday who is in his first year racing the Superbike Class, he believes the team is getting stronger as the year progresses, and that a top three result is in his sights for this weekend.

“I’m pretty confident about this round. We had some good testing times and especially after the high of Mallala, I’m going into this round feeling good,” he said.

“The test day went really well – we actually went a bit quicker than what we thought we were going to end up going. Robbie set the benchmark so I know that the Yamaha R1 can do that.

“Queensland Raceway is a good track, especially for spectators watching the racing. For the bikes it’s a late breaking track and I’ve seen the testing times and there are about 13 guys that could run up front this weekend.

This weekend I’m hoping for a top three, if not a top five finish. I set my standards pretty high for myself and the team is getting stronger and stronger as the year goes on.”

Round three of the Swann Superbike Series will kick off this weekend June 28-29 at Queensland Raceway. For more information head to www.fxsuperbikes.com.au

To stay up to date with the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Series, make sure you like ‘Australian FX-Superbike Championship’ on Facebook or follow ‘fxsuperbikes’ on Instagram.

More, from another press release issued by Eskimo Media Group:

Swann Superbike Series State v State battle set to fire up at QR

New South Wales might have won the football last week, but will Queensland win the Superbikes this weekend?

Last week, hundreds of thousands of Aussies watched on as New South Wales took their first Rugby State of Origin Series win after eight years. This week, the Australian road racing industry will house their very own State of Origin battle when the Swann Superbike Series heads to Queensland for round three.

This year the Swann Superbike Series plays home to top racers from all over Australia, but it will be round three at Queensland Raceway this weekend, that the riders will be picking sides when New South Wales and Queensland go head to head.

In anticipation for this weekend’s showdown, we gave three questions to some of the top guys from both NSW and QLD, to see how they’re feeling about their own state battles!

Question 1: What makes your state produce better quality riders than your opposition?

Question 2: Who is your biggest threat from the opposing state?

Question 3: What will it take to get on the podium this weekend and will it be NSW or QLD?

Team NSW

Chris Seaton Aprilla Factory Team –

Q1. The NSW riders are just a lot tougher and we like to fight for our state. If you thought the State of Origin was tough, you’d want to get along to this round.

Q2. I’d have to say Queensland’s Robbie Bugden for sure.

Q3. My team is based in Queensland so I might get a bit of a following, but I’m definitely out of my territory this weekend. If we’re consistent from the day we turn up, and stay mistake free that you’ll be looking at a NSW guy on the podium on Sunday.

Glenn Allerton NexGen BMW Motorsports –

Q1. Queenslanders are going to have the home track advantage this weekend, but I think if you look at this years calendar it’s a bit more in NSW’s favor, so us NSW riders are going to be stronger this year.

Q2. I think there’s a lot of guys riding fast. All of the guys from Honda and Yamaha are going to be tough competitors, but Robbie Bugden at his home track is going to be tough to beat.

Q3. It’s going to be one of those races where you have to hang tough, get a good start and stay consistent, but I think this weekend you’re going to see a NSW guy up the top.

Troy Herfoss Team Honda Racing –

Q1. We’re built tougher in NSW. The weather is a bit more challenging. We don’t get that leisurely lifestyle that the Queensland riders get up there.

Q2. I’d have to say big Robbie Bugden. He’s a good friend, a tough competitor and a true Queenslander.

Q3. Big brakes, (laughs) that’s about it really. But at the end of the day I think you’ll be seeing a blues man on the box this weekend.

Jamie Stauffer Team Honda Racing –

Q1. We’re true blue Aussie workers down in NSW, we don’t just hang around in the sunshine like the Queenslanders, so we’re there to get the job done really.

Q2. From the Queensland side I think Robbie Bugden.

Q3. It’s going to take a couple of wins to get on the podium this weekend. I think you’ll see one of the blues guys on the box though and hopefully he’s wearing a set of red Honda leathers.

Team QLD

Ben Henry Cube Racing Kawasaki –

Q1. Queensland just has better weather so we can train harder. New South Welshman are just battling away in the cold while we get to take advantage of the sunshine.

Q2. The biggest threat to everyone, and from New South Wales is Glenn Allerton, he’s the guy to beat.

Q3. This weekend is going to be about who has the biggest brakes! But I think you’ll see one of the maroon boys on the podium – there could be a blues boy but I think QLD will take top spot.

Robert Bugden Yamaha Racing Team –

Q1. Maybe it’s the sunshine. Maybe it’s the weather. I’m born and bred in Brisbane, so I’m hoping I can put on a good show for the home crowd!

Q2. It could be a number of different guys, we have all tested out there and the times are all very close. There are six or eight guys who could do it this weekend. I think Glenn Allerton will be very strong from NSW though.

Q3. I think we just need to keep the momentum up that we have got going from the test, be fast right from the get go and make some good decisions with the direction we take with the bike. I think there’s a few fast guys up here – Mike Jones and Linden Magee so I think you might be seeing a QLD dominated podium this weekend.

Linden Magee LMR – BMW

Q1. The one point I think is that this weekend we are going to have a home track advantage. The NSW boys are coming to QLD so it will be great to have a home crowd behind us.

Q2. I think Glenn Allerton is the biggest threat from NSW. He’s always fast wherever we go and I think it’s going to be the same this weekend.

Q3. If we can qualify well and get good starts we will have a good chance of being on top of the podium. I think there are a few more NSW boys than Queenslanders so we might be outnumbered, but I think QLD is going to take this one.”

Mike Jones Crazy Dogs Kawasaki –

Q1. Probably the sunshine (laughs). We live in the sunshine state so we get to train a lot more than the sooky NSW guys!

Q2. Glenn Allerton, probably him. He’s riding really well so he’s going to be a tough one to beat.

Q3. I think this weekend it’s going to take a lot of guts and determination to get on the podium. There are some pretty quick NSW guys, but I think with the home round advantage, it’s going to be a QLD boy on the podium.

Well there you go, who would have thought that, the NSW’s guys think a Queenslander will more than likely win and the Queenslanders think a NSW’s rider is odds on favourite. All this shows is that it’s going to be very close and the Superbikes at QR this weekend will provide plenty of frantic racing action that is well worth getting along to watch.

Event Information

What is it:

2014 Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship

Where:

Queensland Raceway, Champions Way Willow Bank.

When:

This weekend Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th June

Racing both days from approx 9:45 am

How much:

Adult One day GA pass Saturday $30

Adult Two Day GA pass $40

Children under 12 Free

Parking around track allowed

Tickets at the gate